Rebirth of a Holy Dragoon
Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy. OCs belong to various friends. I think you know the drill by now.
Notes: None at the moment, just keeping this here in case there are in the future.
Warnings: You don't remember the list of warnings I gave before? Fine. Here. Cursing, potential OOC, OC x Canon, stupid fluffy romance, sex, angst, self-insert author avatar, shitty storytelling.
FIC START!
Chapter Thirty-eight
Richard blinked for a moment as he processed what Canti just said. "The son of the senator?" he asked, shaking his head in disbelief.
Kain gripped her hands in his. How could that guy be the one who kept Canti safe? "Why would he have been close enough to know what you were doing after school unless he was stalking you?!"
Canti pushed herself so she could sit up. "He and I have Chorus together, and what's more, we also have homework to do together," she explained. She didn't go into the fact that they basically chose each other to work with since there was literally no one else in the class that they knew well enough to work with. She sighed. "That project I told you about as we were leaving, Kain? Mateus is my partner. I imagine he wanted to work on it, so he was following me home, but at a distance because he knows you hate him and he didn't want to cross paths with you."
"...really?" Richard asked. "Perhaps I should have a word with your teacher about the questionable motives behind the Palamecian boy wanting to work with you. But first things first. Kain!"
The young dragoon stood at attention awaiting the Grand Dragoon's commands. It reminded Canti of someone in the police force or the Warriors of the Water as she saw it. "Yes, Father?"
"You can drive the chocobo carriage home, yes?"
"I can."
"Take Canti to the Manor. Have her stay in the same room she used this last weekend," Richard gave the order swiftly. "You are to protect your cousin. If anyone you do not know decides to corner the two of you, on my authority, you may strike them dead."
Kain nodded. "I understand."
"Good," Richard said, turning to his younger brother. Cid was in the middle of a breakdown, as he couldn't believe just how badly he let down his one and only baby girl. "As for you, come with me. We will finish filing a police report and make sure the rest of the community knows there's a prowler out there with a taste for children. This pervert will be caught before any more are put in danger!" He noticed that Cid wasn't moving but Kain was helping Canti stand on her feet, so he gave Cid a fierce punch to the back of his head. "Did you not hear me?!"
"I… I'm moving," Cid said, picking himself up off the floor. He ruffled Canti's hair, but she didn't reach out to him or anything. She just followed Kain as he led her slowly out of the room. "Let's get started on that, then."
…
Kain helped Canti climb into the chocobo-drawn carriage. "I'd like to have you sit up front with me, but I don't think anyone should see you right now," he said as she sat down in the carriage so no one would see her from outside the canopy.
"That's fine…" she whispered. "…I'd rather not be seen."
"Canti…" he said, using his hand to caress her face. "…just stay back here. If anyone approaches us, I'll do just like Father told me and strike them down myself."
"No, Kain, you shouldn't…"
"I will. It's my duty to protect you. An order from the Grand Dragoon. As I'm training to enter the Warriors of the Water, I'm going to uphold my duty," Kain said proudly. "And besides that, the fact that someone tried to take you away makes my very blood boil. I would love nothing more than to crush the skull of whoever it was that put their dirty hands on you." He quickly hugged around her, secured the door of the back of the carriage, and climbed up to the front so he could take the reigns of the chocobos. "I don't care who they were. If you don't want their hands on you, then they have no right to touch you."
"...what if… I told you… I didn't want your hands on me?"
Kain was shocked to hear such a proposition. "If you were to tell me that, then I would abstain from touching you, obviously. I would be sad to hear it, but I would do ask you asked." He turned back to look at her. "Does my touch discomfort you?"
She looked back up at him, letting the cushion of the seat support the full weight of her back. "No, Kain. I was just curious. That's all."
Kain threw down the reigns to get the chocobos moving. With a "hi-yaa!" they were headed for the wealthier side of Dagurreo. "Please don't make me worry like that…"
Canti just let out a tiny little giggle. "Where would I be without you always looking after me?"
"In an unhappier state, I think," Kain said. "To be honest, I couldn't tell you how you'd feel without me around. I just know that I'm happier for having you in my life."
…
Mateus had a long day after speaking to the police about that terrible man trying to make off with his Chorus partner and future wife. He had to witness to different police, all telling the exact same story, keeping all of his details straight. But he knew that by doing that, the Highwind family would feel as if they were in his debt. It was a far cry from the family accepting a marriage proposal. He would have to spend more time with her, to gain her affection, before that would even be possible, but after an incident like this, he was confident that she would be willing to give him more time. He came home to his lavishly huge mansion in the north district, far from most other estates of this size, as the house was also the home offices of the one and only monster farm located within their fair country. The Palamecian Monster Farm was one of the vital places for this country's function, which made his father not only one of the most influential people in the senate, but one of the the most wealthy men to walk the cobblestone streets.
"Ah, my dear son," came the voice of his father. "I'd begun to worry… where have you been this whole time?"
"I was at the police station, working on the one thing I want more than any other," Mateus answered just as coldly as his father spoke. "If I am to have this, I am going to have to earn it. And everyone that's ever listened to one of your speeches knows how much you treasure something like hard work." He smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror. He was a sexy beast and he knew it. There were adult women clamoring for a chance to speak with a man born with so much power, but he didn't want a trophy wife. He didn't want some woman who would spend all of his family's money or try to manipulate his power into her power for selfish gains, either. Such would ruin the legacy of the Palamecian name! No, what he wanted was someone to give him heirs of power, someone that would do as she was bid with the proper training. He turned to give that same smug, satisfied smile to his father. He was beautiful and commanded the most powerful of black magic, and he knew he was fit to rule not just this tiny little country hiding behind its little barrier. He knew he was fit to rule everything as an Emperor. Mateus had seen it in his dreams, and the one who was at his side in those very dreams since the day he laid eyes on her was none other than Cantirena Highwind.
"I will not deny the virtue of hard work," Senator Matteo said as he approached his son. "This means what you chase is something you truly desire."
"It is."
"I'm glad to hear that my son, who has not wanted for anything his entire life, actually finds something worth working for," Matteo said proudly. "All men want something. Its what motivates us." His expressions were all perfectly crafted to fool a populace he was addressing, be it of senators or the destitute, but Mateus could see through those falsities easily. He had learned to over the years, having to live with a man who didn't know how to portray feelings in a genuine manner. "Tell me, Mateus, is there anything I can do to help you with this effort? I only wish for my one beloved heir to be happy after my eventual passing."
"Oh, Father," Mateus said. "I have it all under control. Your underling sufficed well enough. This will only get me another chance to make an impression. Having her family in my debt will work more than splendidly." He gazed upward to see the chandelier that hung overhead, mentally comparing it to the one that hung within the Highwind Manor. He couldn't tell well enough if it were bigger than that one, and he instantly wanted a bigger one just to reassure himself that this one was indeed bigger. "To make her love me is the one thing I desire more than anything else. She will be able to give me the support I need to raise our family name to a much higher standard."
"Hmm. These things are not instant. They take time, and I'm sure that your little songbird has plenty of admirers."
"Mmm. I am aware I have rivals, but I do not intend to lose her. She is the key to the greatest future our family name can bear, Father."
"Our family has an amazing legacy."
"I do not want a legacy. I want a dynasty."
Matteo stared at his son for a moment. How could he want more power? There was no more power to be had. Leviathan ruled this country from the ground up. Sure, there were the senators, but ultimately, all they did was gather what the people of the country wanted to be voted on and presented it to Leviathan. They did no actual decision making themselves. "I- I see…"
